Framed Memories - Part 1

Tossed by the storm.

Embraced through the storm.

Saved from the storm.

Framed by the storm.

This was the scene in our backyard following the "Great Hailstorm" of 2008 (July 2.) Two giant pines crushed our above-ground pool, 48 feet round, 6 feet deep in the middle. A place of laughter and cannonballs and music and solitude and starlit floats. Even an occasional skinny dip.

Memories dismantled.

Memories buried.

Memories framed in my mind.

" . . . and you were so glad when the storm died down . . . Psalm 107:30a (Message)

Note: This post is in response to Claire Burge's PhotoPlay prompt "Frame It" at High Calling Blogs.

What is your most memorable storm story? 

How have you been framed by the storms of life?

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

For the Fathered and the Fatherless

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

To My Sissy On Her Birthday

White spots on a nose and baby feet.

Shadows in the little house

You not old enough to fear.

Wispy memories.

Separated by the miles

Wrapped myself in shawl of self

Duel pain unshared.

Silent years.

Late night laughter

Stores and restaurants and icy parking lots

Pancakes and pavilions.

Treasured times.

My sister.

My best friend.

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

Bittersweet

Startled by beauty

Within my wall

Deceptively sweet

Bitter

Bittersweet

Nightshade.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20 (NIV)

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

It's Crazy!

They call him Crazy Wheels.

I don't know his real name.

Shame on me.

He tools all over town in his motorized wheelchair. He gives kids rides. And once my son saw him in the interstate median. With the police. He was probably speeding from exit A to exit B.

I saw him once at the pool. Must have been for some kind of water therapy since a lifeguard was preparing a sling.

I could not help but stare at his legs. Withered. Skin over bone.

No substance.

No depth.

Useless.

I remember what my own leg looked like in comparison to my other after I fell. After I broke my foot.

Casted, splinted, crutched, caned.

Unable to bear weight.

Shriveled.

Weak.

Imperfect.

Defective.

Useless.

Scary.

Like unexercised faith that depends on someone else's strength.

It's crazy.

"Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 (Amplified)

Has your faith been tested? Have you stepped out in faith? 

Is your faith stronger because of it? 

Are you clinging (or have you clung) to someone else's faith? 

Was (is) your faith weaker because of it?

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

A Heart For Achile

"Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you, too." ~ Frederick Buechner

Jesus felt compassion for the hungry. And so He fed them.

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hands and healed the blind and the deaf and the sick.

With a heart of compassion, He gave His all.

Because compassion involves action.

His name is Achile.

He's eight years old.

He lives in one of the poorest countries in the world. Burkina Faso in western Africa.

He's a Compassion child but can't take full advantage of his sponsorship or regularly attend school.

Because he's been in pain for five years.

Because he has a congenital heart defect known as tetralogy of Fallot.

Compassion International has provided medical care for the last two years at the National Teaching Hospital Yalgado Ouedraogo, but now he needs urgent heart surgery to save his life.

At a specialized hospital in India. Cost estimated at $20,449.

One child. With a name. With a face. With a critical need.

And an opportunity to show compassion. To share the heart of Jesus.

To give Achile a future and a hope.

By giving from the heart here.

Or by praying.

Or both.

Because compassion involves action.

Read about how Compassion helps other children with serious heart conditions, like Alex, here.

"It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor--what a blessing!" 

Proverbs 14:21 (Message)

We sponsor Nduta (Lucy) from Kenya through Compassion.  Do you sponsor any children?

Have you ever known anyone with tetralogy of Fallot?

NOTE: This post is part of the Bridget Chumbley's Blog Carnival on COMPASSION. For other thoughts, visit One Word at a Time.

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King

Sizzling Hot Abs

So this is my new toy.

Because at my age, things--well, kind of rock and roll. Especially roll. And other things, like neck and back, get kind of stiff.

You've seen the ads. Just sit back and rocket (rock it.) Support head and neck.

Get sizzling hot abs.

Um, right.

I tried the beginner's workout. I can rock that baby down. Easy as eating chocolate cake.

Rocking back up again? Well, that's another story.

The video trainer--that woman with the sizzling abs--the one in the tight pants that dip below her perfect navel--stretches her arms out in front of her or crosses them over her chest and just rockets up.

Up and down. Up and down. All the way up. All the way down.

I grab the handles, grunt, and just turn blue. Blend right into the background.

If I suck in my navel and remember to breathe out when I come up, I can rocket up, oh maybe an inch. Or less.

I'm such a weakling.

Chris Tomlinson (Crave, reviewed here) said, "I would like to think my spirit is ridiculously ripped."

I've thought about that a lot over the last months. A healthy spirit requires proper feeding and regular exercise. Without it, I suspect it's weak and flabby.

Like me.

I want a strong spirit.

Anyway, I'll continue to work it, and maybe I'll find a tighter tummy. Maybe even before I get discouraged. Or plain just tired of it.

Maybe I'll even find some sizzling hot abs.

Probably not.

It's in the fine print.

Results not typical.

But I can at least be more healthy. Maybe a little firm. And I'll try not to compare myself to the navel lady.

I'd rather have a spirit that sizzles anyway.

But sizzling hot abs would be nice.

"A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?" 

Proverbs 18:14 (Message)

What kind of exercise equipment have you bought? Did you use it? Did you see results?
Are you feeding and exercising your spirit? How's that going?

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King